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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai Police Chief, Army Commander Fired |
| 2004-03-19 |
| Thailand’s national police chief and a regional army commander were fired Friday for failing to control growing unrest in the Muslim-dominated south. The dismissals were announced hours after unidentified arsonists set fire to about 40 sites in two southern provinces Thursday night. On Friday, a gunman on a motorcycle fatally shot a village headman at a tea shop. The violence highlights the growing ease with which assailants have been carrying out hit-and-run attacks in the south. More than 50 people — mostly security personnel and government officials — have been killed this year. Government officials have blamed Islamic separatists affiliated with to international terrorists, possibly the al-Qaida-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam said national police chief Gen. Sant Sarutanond and Lt. Gen. Pongsak Ekbanasing, the army commander of Region 4, which is responsible for the south, have been reassigned to work in the office of the prime minister. "The removal is mainly because of the unrest in the south," Wissanu told reporters. Deputy police commander Gen. Soonthorn Saikwan was appointed acting chief of police. There was no immediate word on who would replace Pongsak. |
| Posted by:Fred |